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(No Model.)

.v ARPENTEB.

AL CONDUCTOR.

Patented Jan. 21, 11890.

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fwswssm; J @www mv- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM II. CARPENTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,923, dated January 21, 1890.

Application filed December 5 1889. Serial No. 332,625. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, HIRAM H. CARPENTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Electrical Distribution, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a method of distributing electrical energy by utilizing the space between the head, shank, and base of traction railroadrails.

Referring to the drawings, wherein letters of like form and name indicate like parts in each ligure, Figure l shows a cross-section of an ordinary T-rail, with the insulated chamber formed bythe application of a detachable lid or cover. Fig. 2 shows a similar cross-sec tion of a grooved rail, and also showing the distributing system of electric wires in place.

A indicates the rail proper, of which a shows the part which I denominate the heath h the shank,and c the base B indicates the insulated chamber, and C the detachable lid or cover.

The letter CZ shows the insulating coating or paint applied to the inner surface of the chamber and the exterior of the lid or cover.

The traction-rail may be of any convenient form, so that suiiicient space be left on the one side or the other of the rail to form the insulated chamber. It is evident that the shape of the detachable lid or cover C will vary with the form of the rail. In the ordinary T-rail I return the lower edge of the cover C at an angle that conforms to that of the base and fasten it in place by means of spikes or bolts that pass through coinciding holes in the returned part and the base of the rail. It may be also further secured by a bolt passing through the cover and upper part of the rail, as shown at D, or it may be held in place by clamps, or the whole chamber may be filled with asphalt or other electrically-insulating material before the same is sealed up.

The cover C may be of any eonvenientform adapted to the rail to be used and of a convenient length, so that it will be easily detachable and admit of access to the system of distributingwires contained in the chamber B.

The chamber B is electrically insulated by the asphalt coating or other electrically-insulating paint CZ, and contains the system of wires E, which are individually insulated and may be carried either separately or in a cable in any of the methods in common use.

It will readily be seen that when a rail is provided with this system of distributing the electrical energy by removing the cover C the system may be easily reached at any point on the line without disturbing the roadway or the rail itself.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The combination of the traction-rail A with an independent detachable cover C, supportedby and fastened to said rail, and the electric wires E within said cover, as and for the purpose intended, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IIIRAM H. CARPENTER.

l/Vitness es A. G. SAEEORD, WM. K. ELLIS. 

